


Navy Blue and White Stars

by LyriaBlackFrost



Series: Fluff Bingo [3]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Fluff Bingo, Gen, Light Description of Blood and Injury, Platonic Relationship, Showing You Care Without Words, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 19:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16771804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaBlackFrost/pseuds/LyriaBlackFrost
Summary: Iwai realizes he might have adopted a second child.





	Navy Blue and White Stars

**Author's Note:**

> "Showing You Care Without Words" prompt, written for the Fluff Bingo.

As soon as he noticed it the first time, it became impossible for Iwai to ignore the thin, silver threads shining under the lamp’s light, forming the well-known pattern of a big spider web, that covered most of one of the top shelves of that cabinet.

Damn… He hated spiders. Those little fuckers didn’t scare him, but the way they left those disgusting webs everywhere was more than a little irritating. Just in time, Akira came from the back room carrying the package Iwai had asked for.

“Hey, kid...” said Iwai. “Can you clear those spider webs on the top shelf?“

Akira looked at him with a displeased expression.

“Spiders...?“ he asked. “Really?”

“Why? Are you scared of ‘em?“

“Yeah, who isn't?“

That slightly defensive answer made Iwai smirk.

“Not as though as you look, eh?”

Iwai offered him a provocative look, which made Akira sigh in response.

“Fine, fine...“ he said. “I’ll save you from your back pains, old man. You should be thankful.”

Iwai frowned at that comment.

“Hey…”

“But,” proceeded Akira, “if Little Miss Muffet is still around, you'll have to deal with her.“

“Sure,“ answered Iwai, the grin again on his face. Akira didn't comment on it, grabbing the stool so he could reach the upper shelf.

Iwai shifted his focus to the request he had received earlier, polishing it so he could pack and have it ready for when the client arrived.

“It's a mess up here...“ he heard Akira's voice. “Have you ever cleaned this place before I appeared?“

“No,“ answered Iwai. “Besides, this is your job now. Enjoy it.“

Akira sighed in fake annoyance.

“At least there are no spiders here...“ he said. “It’s probably taking a stroll in the back room, where all the insects meet.”

Iwai glanced at him, noticing that, despite his carefree words, his eyes were alert, as if he was ready to jump back and escape from any arachnid that appeared to threaten his life. Iwai had to hold back a small, amused laugh.

“If you do a good job here, I'll take you to my house next,” he said. “Every morning we wake up to webs in the living room, but never get to catch the damn spider. Kaoru hates spiders too... He went through a web this morning and almost had a heart attack.”

“Maybe you should change houses?” suggested Akira. “It's clear that place belongs to the eight-legged demon now.”

“Don't let Kaoru hear you say that... He might agree.“

“C'mon, you know that's what any sensible person would—“

His phrase was interrupted by a loud, cracking sound. Iwai looked at Akira's direction, in time to see his body falling forward. He bumped his face against the shelf before falling on the floor, together with a few items Iwai had stored there. It took Iwai a second to understand what had happened: one of the legs of that old stool had broken under the boy’s weight.

“Shit,“ said Iwai, getting up from his chair. “Is everything alright?“

“Yeah...“

His voice said the opposite. Iwai approached him, who had sat down on the floor, placing a hand on his face. There was a small cut on the bridge of his nose, that was also bleeding from the impact.

“Sorry,“ said Akira, looking around him. “Did I break something?“

Iwai sighed in disbelief.

“Worry about yourself first, idiot.“ He tried to help him get up by holding his forearm, but a low, pained groan made him let go. “Hey, did you hurt your arm as well?“

“Seems like it…”

“Let me see.“

Akira agreed. Iwai checked his arm, but thankfully there weren't any broken bones. The skin close to his elbow, however, was scrapped and also starting to bleed. He sighed in relief: unlike a broken bone, that would heal easily.

“Is your nose broken?“ he asked.

“I don't think so,“ said Akira, who still had his hand covering his face, while blood dripped from his fingers. “But it fucking hurts.“

Akira looked at his own bloodied hand, face contorting in a grimace as he cursed under his breath.

“I'll have to use your bathroom...“ he said.

Iwai helped him get up, this time avoiding the injured area. He followed Akira to the bathroom, where the boy started to try and clean his nose.

“Keep your head up for a while,“ instructed Iwai, “and pinch the bridge of your nose for a few minutes.

Akira did as he said.

“Like this?“

“Yeah,“ Iwai opened the cabinet, searching there for the medical supplies he had on the store for emergencies. “Give me your arm.“

Akira looked at him, a little confused.

“I can—”

“It’ll just be faster and easier if I help you,” retorted Iwai. “Your arm.”

Akira didn't protest any further, offering him the injured arm. The wound wasn't anything serious, but it was bleeding and could still get infected if not taken care properly. Iwai took the bottle of hydrogen peroxide, pouring it over the wound, making Akira hiss with the pain.

“Don’t start crying on me,” said Iwai.

Akira answered by calling him a not-so-nice name, which made Iwai laugh internally, while answering in the same tone. After cleaning the wound, he put some bandages around it, taking care not to leave them too tight.

“How's your nose?“ he asked.

Akira let go of his nose for a second.

“I think it stopped bleeding,“ he said.

“Good,“ answered Iwai. “Wash it so I can take care of the cut.“

Akira did it, getting rid of the blood. With his face clean, it was easier to see that small cut, in the place where he hit the shelf.

“It'll probably get swollen in the morning,“ said Iwai. “Won't help you much with being popular, if you ask me.“

“Well, that’s a problem… If I get any less popular, they’ll kick me out of school.”

“Hopefully your teachers won’t have the wrong idea.”

“Yeah…” Akira sighed, suddenly seeming a little tired. “Last time I got hurt, I had to swear to an old teacher that I didn’t mug anyone on my way to school.”

Iwai frowned at those words.

“You certainly have a reputation there,” he said.

“More than I wanted to, to be honest.”

Iwai briefly searched the cabinet until he found a small box of band-aids, taking one. Akira looked at it, his expression giving place to an amused smile.

“Are those children’s band-aids?“ he asked.

“Space themed,“ answered Iwai, looking at the navy blue curative, covered in small white stars, aliens, and spaceships. “Kaoru bought this by accident and was too embarrassed to use them. So, I keep them here, for emergencies like this. Look here.“

Akira raised his head, and Iwai carefully placed the curative over his wound.

“There,“ he said. “Now you've fulfilled your dream of becoming an astronaut.“

He said that in a slightly mocking tone, but it made Akira laugh anyway. Only then it crossed Iwai’s mind that he, despite his sarcastic comments and defiant attitude — and the fact that he was the leader of the most talked group in recent weeks — was still a kid. Not too different from his own son.

“I’ll go clean that mess before leaving,” said Akira.

Iwai denied with a brief gesture.

“Just leave this shit to me,” he said. “It’s kind of my fault for leaving that old thing around. As for you, just go home and put some ice on your nose.”

“Oh…” Akira stared at him, seeming a little surprised by his words. “Okay, then.”

He took his bag, but before he left, Iwai went to him.

“Hey, take these,” he handed Akira a few extra band-aids. “And make sure to clean the wounds and change the bandages from time to time.”

Akira looked at him with a funny face.

“What?” asked Iwai, frowning. “Do you want something else?”

“No,” answered Akira, offering him a crooked smile. “I’ll just enjoy being an astronaut for a little longer.”

He opened the door, offering Iwai a brief wave of his hand.

“See you later.”

As soon as he closed the door, Iwai let out a heavy sigh, picking the things on the floor, placing them on the counter almost automatically, while his thoughts were somewhere else.

He really was getting soft.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm weak for dad Iwai, ok? Just let Joker have a parent figure (or many) who cares about him.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic, kudos and comments are highly appreciated! ♥


End file.
